Undergraduate school

[jccalalafc]

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How much does the prestige of your undergrad institution matter? Obviously, a high GPA anywhere is ideal, but the more prestigious schools tend to be harder, so I was wondering how much that factor plays into your application. Thanks!

 

[megathunder]

Unfortunately I don't think it matters much at all. A 3.8 from an ivy league will obviously look better than a 3.8 from an unknown but otherwise all that matters is the higher the GPA.

 

[NurWollen]

How much does the prestige of your undergrad institution matter? Obviously, a high GPA anywhere is ideal, but the more prestigious schools tend to be harder, so I was wondering how much that factor plays into your application. Thanks!

Unless you are from California and applying to UCSF, UCSD, UCI, etc., (which I am guessing you aren't since this is the DO forum), it really wouldn't matter. I have heard of the UC's looking down at CSU applicants in favor of UC applicants. Just rumors though.

 

[Goro]

Oh, it does matter. A 3.0 from UC Berkeley is viewed more favorably than, say, a 3.5 from Western Washington U. But viewed individually, as we normally do, we wants those GPAs to be as high as possible, whether you're from Brigham Young U (a really good school) vs Weber State (a mediocre school).

 

[HH Holmes]

Oh, it does matter. A 3.0 from UC Berkeley is viewed more favorably than, say, a 3.5 from Western Washington U. But viewed individually, as we normally do, we wants those GPAs to be as high as possible, whether you're from Brigham Young U (a really good school) vs Weber State (a mediocre school).

No.

 

[Brachyury]

How much does the prestige of your undergrad institution matter? Obviously, a high GPA anywhere is ideal, but the more prestigious schools tend to be harder, so I was wondering how much that factor plays into your application. Thanks!

I'm an allo student, and in my experience as someone who graduated from a top 15 LAC and interviews students at my med school, the quality of your UG matters quite a bit. Will a person with a 3.0 from Pomona or Haverford get into any medical school they want? No. But if someone from, say, a top 25 university of LAC applies with a low GPA, Adcoms--at least allopathic ones--tend to give the applicant the benefit of the doubt and will at least look at their application.

In my own experience, I have worked for several PIs who are Adcom members at allopathic schools, and independently of each other, they have told me that they do evaluate an applicant's GPA in context of the quality of their UG. Additionally, LizzyM--an SDN member who is also an Adcom member at an allopathic school--has stated in the past that her institution absolutely evaluates an applicant's GPA based on the quality of their UG.

OP, it goes without saying that you should strive for the best GPA you can, but if that's not possible, there are ways to remediate your GPA. GPA aside, do not forget that the MCAT is the great equalizer